Undergarment



R. SULLIVAN Oct. 24, 1950 UNDERGARMENT Filed March 28, 1947 INVENTOR. RUBY '5mm/AN Arrorneg Patented ct. 214, 1950 UNITEDy STATES PATENT oEFlcE UNDERGARMENT Ruby Sullivan, oincinnatrlohio Application March 2s, 1947, serial No. 797,792

s claims. (el. 2-'212 My invention relates to an improved undergarment of the class worn by women. In particular, it relates to a slip and pantie combination which may be worn as a step-in garment.

v During the summer season, or in relatively mild climates, women prefer, within the limits of propriety, to minimize the amount of clothing making up their attire. In general, the minimum garments worn by a woman include brassire, panties and a slip, although in recent years the half-slip has gained in popularity because it gives the necessary foundation and shadow-proof protection about the legs, while at the same time doing away with one unnecessary layer of fabric about the upper portion of the body. One of the principal handicaps of wearing a half-slip of conventional design is that it does not conform well with the waistline of the user, because it must either have the fullness necessary to permit it to be slipped over the head and shoulders of the user, or it must be formed with an open placket at one side of the waistline, which is rsecured by fastening means, requiring a double layer of fabric at the area where the fastening means are secured. In either case, the excessive fullness about the waist portion tends to create wrinkles which are revealed through the outer garments.

I have fashioned an undergarment in the form of a combination half-slip and pantie, having a waistband which does not require the use of fastening means. The garment is constructed to conform to the waistline of a user so that it will lie flat over the abdominal portion of the body, thus doing away with any bulkiness which will tend to reveal wrinkles through the outer garment. The pantie is formed with a front and a rear panel joined by a crotch portion, but involves a novel construction in that the front and rear panels are laterally separated from each other and are connected by one or more strap-like portions. The connecting portions are of such length as to conform to the contour of the legs of the wearer and serve to prevent the pantie from twisting. The slip, when formed of a nonelastic material, such as rayon or the like, is provided with a placket at each side adjacent to the waistband to provide for the necessary expansion when the garment is slipped up over the hips of the wearer; however, these plackets are formed in suoli a manner that they are self-closing and will not reveal wrinkles through the outer garment. Since a garment of this type would be made as a ready-to-wear item, there is likelihood that persons having substantially the same waist measurement would require slightly `different I6 to asinglecontinuous waistband YI6.

lengths in the skirt, and torender this adjustment easy,the skirt is provided with a lower hem which may be readily altered to give the proper length to the skirt.

An object of my invention is to provide an undergarment, which includes a skirt and pantie, adapted to be worn as a step-in.

Another object is to provide an undergarmentwhich includes a skirt and a continuous Waistband that does not require the use of fastening means and which will conform to the waistline of the wearer without creating wrinkles which would be revealed through an outer garment.

Another object is to provide an undergarment in the form of a pantie having front and rear panels joined by a crotch portion wherein the front and rear panels are separated from each other at the sides for a substantial distance and are joined by narrow connecting portions that will serve to prevent the pantie from twisting.

Another object is to provide an undergarment which includes a skirt portion having an adjust# able lower hem which may be readily altered so that the hem will not be revealed below the hem line of an outer garment.

A further object is to provide a combination undergarment in the form of a half-slip and a pantie made as a unitary step-in garment which has a continuous waistband formed of a non,- elastic portion which conforms to the abdominal portion of the wearer without wrinkling and an elastic portion which conforms to the back of the wearer.

Other and further objects may become apparent from the Vfollowing description and claims, and in the appended drawing in which:

v Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an undergarment forming the present invention, with an outer portion removed to show interior construction'.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the upper portionof the garment as seen from the right of Fig. 1.

1 Fig. 3 is a perspective of the upper portion of the garment showing interior construction;

Fig-Aris a section taken on the lines 4--4 of Fig. 1; and,

' Figs. 5 and 6 are vertical cross sections taken on the lines 5-5 and 6-6 respectively of Fig. 3.

Referring now to the several figures of the drawing, general reference numeral I0 indicates a combination garment composed of a half-slip or skirt l2, and a pantie lll. vided with an adjustable hem l5 to permit it to be altered to the correct length preferred by the wearer.; The skirt l2 and pantie I4 are joined 'I'he skirt is pro 'The skirt I2 which may be regarded as a petticoat is formed of a front panel I8 and a rear panel '20. Front panel I8 has its upper edge cut on a curve which -extends across the entire width of the panel so that the panel will conform to the curvature of the body of a person without forming wrinkles. The front and rear panels are laterally joined at either side by a double line of stitching forming a seam indicated at 22 in Fig. 2. 'I'he seam 22 extends from the lower extremity of the skirt to within about ten inches from waistband I6, leaving plackets 24 and 26 on, either side of the skirt between waistband I6 and seam 22. ets are, of course, nished in a conventional manner. of rear panel 2G over the edges of front panely I8, so that at the area where the plackets 4l and 26 occur, the rear panel will tend to overlie the front panel and with the aid of a portion of the waistband will cause a closing effect of--the plackets as indicated in Fig. 2.

The waistband I is continuous in nature and does not require the use of any fastening means. It is formed with a non-elastic yoke portion consisting of a band of material 28 secured to front panel I3 and having diverging lower edges to form a widened portion 29 at the center of the band which will lie flat over the abdominal portions of the body. At each end, the yoke or band 28 is joined to opposite ends of an elastic portion consisting of a resilient band 38. The rear panel 2U is formed with a row of stitches 32a into an upper hem 32 through which band 3U extends and because of the resilience of the band, will cause a gathering of the upper portion of panel 20 indicated at 34, which when the skirt is not being worn tends to give the appearance that rear panel 20 is narrower than front panel I8. However, since the two panels are formed of substantially the same widths, this gathering 34 will substantially disappear when the skirt is expanded about the body. It should be distinctly understood that waistband I5 which is composed of the yoke 28, and the resilient band 30 united at its opposite ends to the yoke so as to form a continuous member, will in general be provided in regular conventional sizes and is not particularly intended toY provide a `universal t to persons of substantially different waist measurements. A

. Within the interior of skirt I2 and formed inv tegral with a portion Ithereof is aV pantie I4. Pantie I4 consists of a front panel 36, a rear panel 38, and a reinforced crotch portion 4U, which joins the front and rear panels. Although the pantie may be formed separately of the skirt, economy of manufacture may dictate that it be formed 'as `a part of the skirt. This may be accomplished by forming the rear panel of the pantie as a continua-tion of the rear panel of the skirt, while the front panel of the pantie is made separately. In this instance, the two panels are shaped at their ylower ends so that they may be overlapped to form a crotch portion as shown in Fig. l. An alternative construction maybe had by the use of a single piece of fabric shaped to form rear panel 2E) of the skirt, which is then further shaped to conform to the various elements of the pantie with a reinforcing section sewn onto the. crotch portion. The forward edge of front panel 35 of pantie i4 forms the yoke or waistband 28 which is joined to the curved edge of front panel I8 .of skirt I2 and rear panel 38 of the pantie is joined by hem 32 to the rear panel 2U of skirt I2. A row of stitches 28a. indicates the junction of Seam I2 is formed by placing the edges The edges of the material at the plack-g waistband 28 with panels I8 and 3B, and a second row of stitches '28h joins the upper portion of the waistband with the top of panel 3B. As is clearly shown in Fig. 1, the lateral edges of the panels 38 and 38 are not attached to one another thus leaving the panels open and separated on the sides. A pair of straps 42 and 44 are joined at each side to the outer surfaces of panels 36 and 38. The portions 42 and 4 4 will be of such lengths as to, conform with the outer contour of the legs of the wearer and will prevent the pantie from tvyisting or binding in such a manner as to cause discomfort to the wearer.

' As such a garment is worn underneath an outer garment, such as a dress or suit, it is essential that the lower edge or hem of the slip be suiliciently shorter than the hem of the outer garment so as not to be revealed. In conventional slips having a bodice and skirt portion, adjustment is customarily made through shoulder straps, but since this garment is suspended from the waist and cannot be altered in length by conventional means, the lower hem must be of a nature that it can be altered without too much difficulty. To facilitate alteration, hem I5 is made by forming a short inner hem 46 secured by a row of stitches 48 to prevent fraying of the material. Hem 46 is then turned up on the under side of skirt I2 and secured thereto by a second row of stitches 5.0, which may be widely separated from one another and extending between hem 46 and lower portion of skirt I2. The row of stitches 50 being of a nature that they can be easily removed and replaced, if adjustment in the length of the skirt is needed.

` In describing the mode of construction of the garment, it has been assumed previously that the material would be of a relatively non-elastic nature, such as rayon or the like. However, if a more elastic material such as jersey or any other form of knitted fabric is used, the elasticity of the material will permit a marked reduction in the length oflthe plackets, or even a total elimination of these elements. The plackets are merely provided to facilitate slipping the garment over the hips of the wearer, and if the material is of sufficient resilience that this can be accomplished without the plackets, they may be eliminated or materially reduced in length. 'fIn practice, the garment is worn as a step-in. To 'facilitate entering the garment, the plackets together with the resilient band will provide sufcient room to permit the garment to be slipped over the hips, after which the waistband will'contract to close the plackets and conform to the waistline of the wearer. The at` non-'elastic portion o f the waistband forming the front vportion will provide a smooth even fit over the. abdominal portions of the body. Because the pantie is laterally separated, it is easily enteled and the straps which connect the front and rear panels will conform to the contour of the legs ofthe user to prevent discomfort which may be caused by twisting.

vIt, will be apparent that either of the garments described could be worn individually without; the. necessity of being combined with the. other garment. However, because of the unitary waistband which would reduce bulkiness, it is a preferred embodiment that they be united in a combination garment, which can be quickly entered and which will conform to all ofthe necessary requirements of the conventional form vof apparel.

My invention is dened in the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

o i. A combination vundergarment having a skirtY formed of` a plurality of panel members, two of 'said panels being partially separated adjacent the upper portion of the skirt in such a manner as to form plackets, a pantie formed of at least two members which are separated at their sides, a connecting member extending between the lateral sides of each of said pantie members which is constructed to conform to the outer contour of the legs of a wearer, and a waistband joined to the upper extremity of the skirt and pantie, said waistband consisting of a substantially nonresilient portion which lis adapted to lie at against the waist of a user and a resilient portion which permits the waistband to expand so that the garment can be worn as a step-in.

2. A combination undergarment for step-in wear, comprising a petticoat, a pantie positioned within the interior of the petticoat, a continuous waistband for encircling the waistline of a wearer, said petticoat and pantie being united to the waistband at the waistline, said petticoat loosely overlying the pantie and extending substantially below the lower limits of the pantie, and an adjustable hem positioned on the lower extremity of the petticoat for adjustably alter ing the length of the petticoat.

3. An undergarment which includes, in combination, a pantie formed of iront and rear panels, a petticoat overlying the .pantie and formed of front and rear panels, a rst row of stitches joining the rear panel of the pantie and the rear panel of the petticoat at the waistline, a second row of stitches joining' the front panel of the pantie and the front panel of the petticoat at the waistline, said petticoat loosely overlying the pantie and extending substantially below the lower limits of the pantie, and a resilient strip permanently connected by stitches with one of said panels above one of said rows of stitches.

4. An undergarment, comprising in combination, a half-slip, a waistband united to the upper extremity of the half-slip ai; the waistline, a pantie positioned within the half-slip, said pantie being formed of front and rear panels each of which is connected to the halfslip at the waistline, a crotch portion uniting the lower extremity of said panels, the lateral edges of said panels being laterally separated from each other from the waistline to the crotch portion, and a plurality of relatively narrow strap-like connecting portions extending laterally between each of said panels and joined to said panels at their opposite ends.

5. A combination undergarment, comprising a half-slip formed of a plurality of panel members, two of said panels being partially separated adjacent their upper extremities in such a manner as to form plackets at the upper lateral portions of the half-slip, a pantie formed of at least two members which are laterally separated at their sides, and a waistband joined to the upper extremity of the half-slip and the pantie, said waistband consisting of a substantially non-resilient yoke portion which is adapted to lie flat against the waist of a wearer and a resilient portion which permits the waistband to expand so that the garment can be worn as a step-in.

6. A combination undergarment for step-in wear, comprising a pantie formed of iront and rear panels, the lower ends of each of said panels converging, a crotch portion uniting the lower ends of the front and rear panels, a petticoat overlying the pantie and extending for a substantial distance below the crotch portion, said petticoat being formed of front and rear panels, one of said panels lof the petticoat forming an integral continuation oan adjacent panel of the pantie, and a row of stitches extending transversely of the garment and uniting one of the pantie panels with an adjacent panel of the petticoat at the waistline.

7. A combination undergarment for step-in wear, comprising a pantie, a half-slip overlying the pantie and extending loosely from the waistline for a substantial distance below the pantie, and means permanently uniting the pantie and the half-slip at the waistline.

8. A combination undergarment, comprising a pantie, a half-slip permanently united toy the pantie at the waistline and extending vertically below the lower limits of the pantie to form a loosely tting shadow-proof garment about the legs of a wearer, and an expansible waistband united to the upper extremity of the pantie and the half-slip for supporting the garment about thewaistline of a wearer in such a manner that, the same may be worn as a stepin garment.

RUBY SULLIVAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,104,625 Chaplan July 21, 1914 1,426,973 Fine Aug. 22, 1922 1,470,999 Morganstern Oct. 16, 1923 1,737,408 Chateld Nov. 26, 1929 1,800,461 Mattern Apr. 14, 1931 2,056,025 Thomas Sept. 29, 1935 2,088,800 Malouf Aug. 3, 1937 2,325,143 Lyttle July 27, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 472,129 Great Britain Sept. 17, 1937 

